The needs addressed by this invention were first noted in the context of the sport of American football. Players of that sport, from the very young to professional players, are required to wear protective helmets during play of the game to protect the players from potentially serious head injuries. The helmets are held in place on players' heads by chinstraps, the ends of which are releasably connected to the helmets by resilient stud and socket snap connectors. The studs are carried on the helmets and the sockets are carried on the straps at or adjacent the strap ends. Existing snap connectors operate by simply pushing the socket onto the stud to connect the chinstrap to the helmet, and by pulling the socket off the stud to disconnect the strap from the helmet.
The described snap connections of chinstraps to football helmets are not reliably secure. If often happens that a player's helmet is dislodged from the player's head, thus subjecting that player to a head injury during continuance of the game before a “play” is completed. Players have experienced head injuries after having helmets dislodged in the course of play. The incidence of such injuries is sufficiently high that officials, coaches, and players of American football have expressed concern. In response to such concern, it has been proposed to amend the rules of the game to require field officials (referees, umpires, judges, etc.) to stop play of the game promptly on observing that a player's helmet has become dislodged. The implementation of such a rule has the significant potential to cause a given game play to be interrupted before the play has been completed, and, as a result, to diminish the appeal of the sport to players and to spectators.
A need is seen to exist for improved devices and procedures for connecting chinstraps to helmets to reduce or eliminate the likelihood that a helmet can become unintentionally dislodged from the head of a user of the helmet. That need exists as to helmets of various kinds used in sporting and non-sporting contexts. Sporting contexts include American football as well as other sports, such as hockey, lacrosse, and other sports. Non-sporting contexts include bicyclists, motorcyclists, and law enforcement.